Should Alabama Fans Be Happy With Auburn's Recent Success?

In the 2010 season, the Auburn Tigers have made noise in the southeastern conference and the country. With an early season similar to the Tide's 2009 season, Gene Chizik is taking his Tigers on a road trip to Glendale, AZ in only his second season as Auburn's head coach. Their seasons have been so similar its scary.

Both teams (2009 Alabama and 2010 Auburn) had perfect regular seasons, a Heisman winner and a trip to the national title game in which Alabama beat Texas last season. Auburn is yet to play in their national championship game.

Why should Alabama fans be happy with Auburn's success? Because it makes the state of Alabama look better to have the Heisman trophy and national title come to the same state consecutive seasons. I mean, let's face it, this state hasn't had a great team (before the 2009 Alabama and 2010 Auburn) since the 2004 Auburn team with Jason Campbell and Carnell "Cadilac" Williams.

But even they didn't make it to the national championship game. So to get a national champion you would have to go all the way back to the 1992 Alabama team under coach Gene Stallings.

One of my coaches told me before the season even started, "If there is one thing true about Alabama and Auburn's seasons year in and year out, it's that they switch rolls every now and then. Last year was Bama's year, now watch for Auburn to be on the rise" (Or something like that). Because he was an Auburn fan, I just laughed like most college football fans did when Kirk Herbstreit predicted Auburn to win the SEC Championship at the beginning of the season. But the fact is, they were both right.

Auburn's success only makes the rivalry that much better and that much more to look forward to every summer and season. I could do without the other two losses, especially to LSU, but that's the past. There is still so much more football to be played, and I am really looking forward to the Capital One Bowl on the first. Roll Tide